3 common reasons people leave their jobs, and how companies can try to stop them

For employers faced with high staff turnover, it can be easy to point the finger.

Today's workforce — millennials, especially — has come to be defined as restless, with a tendency toward frequent job-hopping and increased expectations. Indeed, 38 percent of employees in Asia are actively looking for a new job, based on the latest research from global recruitment specialists Hays, while a further 42 percent are open to new opportunities. In the U.S. and Europe, the number actively job-hunting is closer to 60 percent.

However, according to Hays' managing director for Asia, Richard Eardley, employers should actually look at where they may be going wrong and how they can adapt alongside the changing workforce.

"It's not a grass is greener syndrome," Eardley told CNBC Make It. "It's a sign of the current times and employers know that if they don't change, staff will start to look across the road."

Of the reasons cited by employees currently looking to move jobs, salary and benefits, career progression and seeking new challenges ranked as the top three. Those are demands that can typically be met by employers, but they may be stymied by three common shortcomings, Eardley noted.

Based on Hays' study of 3,000 organizations across Asia Pacific, Eardley highlighted a disconnect between employees and employers, particularly when it comes to awareness of benefits packages. Though employers said they did a good job of promoting their offerings, many employees claimed they were not aware of what benefits were available.

"Clearly there's a communication problem," noted Eardley. "Before you re-evaluate your entire benefits program, make sure you communicate what you've got."

He recommended employers outline their benefits package at all stages of the recruitment process, and then at regular intervals throughout the year, to make sure employees know what perks are available to them.

With the advent of the gig economy and the growing popularity of start-up culture, employees are increasingly looking for employers to be flexible and accommodative to modern life.

For instance, rather than having a "one-size-fits-all" offering, Eardley recommended talking to HR about how they can "personalize programs" to suit individuals.

That could include creating a menu of benefits that can be tailored to different employee needs. For instance, younger employees might be more interested in gym membership and entertainment discounts while older staff might prefer help with child care and savings plans.

"It's not all take," however, he noted, "it's give and take. People are willing to work remotely, work on their mobile and check emails at the weekend."

For employees, it's important to know what career progression is available and how to achieve it, said Eardley.

"Employees are looking for employers to invest in them and their development," he said. "Staff know that they may not get the traditional structured development program at a start-up but they are able to get involved at different levels and across different departments."

Eardley said that employers should help younger staff visualize their potential career path and the steps required to get there by showing them examples of other people's progression within the business.

Eardley also highlighted the work employers should do to attract new talent to their organizations.

To stay ahead of the curve, he said, businesses need to make sure they're present in the communities where new talent is being grown, such as universities, technology hubs and start-up networks.

Eardley cited the Big Four accounting firms among the various multi-national companies already establishing satellite offices and technology centers to prove their relevance to the next generation of employees.

He added that employers should focus on hiring people with adaptable skills, rather than those that respond to an immediate demand.

"Skills shortages in technology are being exacerbated by the constant evolution of technology and it's hard to find those people with the latest skills," Eardley noted.

"Companies are better off thinking about how they can employ someone with skill A now and how that can then be adapted to skill B and skill C in the future."

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